1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Split Second. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
The stasis of the play beings in New York City , one of the most diverse cities in the world, on July 4th, a date associated with liberty and freedom. These factors will play into the struggles of our main character, Val an African American police officer. The play is set in the present and despite the play's original premier date in 1984, the minimal prop list does not tie the play to the time period. The dramatic action that starts the play is when Val stops Willis a white man he believes to be trying to steal a car. Willis antagonizes Val with racial slurs and stereotypes causing Val to lose control and shoot Willis in the chest. 2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? Be careful when citing the intrustion, it may not be where you initially think it is.
Although nit can be confused that the intrusion is the shooting, the intrusion is actually Val's conversation with his father, Rusty an ex-police officer. Val had originally decided to lie on his initial conversation with his captain, failed to tel his best friend Charlie what actually happened and his wife had convinced him to continue to lie. However, Rusty encourages Val to tell the truth winch enhances Val's inner struggle to save himself or sacrifice everything by telling the truth. 3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
The unique factor is that Val has never shot and killed someone before and certainly not a white man. When Val is talking to Charlie he remarks that maybe if Willis had been black he wouldn't have shot him. The shooting sends Val into an inner conflict between right and wrong as well as black and white. 4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatic question is whether or not Val is going to tell the truth and is that really the best choice. 5. Use Val to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what Val wants (NOTE: In Split Second the wants of Val are in flux and he is being swayed by his father, his wife, his friend, and his colleague at work. His wants seem to change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that the character encounters.
In the opening of the play, it is Val against Willis because Val is simply trying to do his job as a police officer but Willis is verbally attacking him and provoking him making it it difficult for Val to do his job lawfully. Once Val shoots Willis, the conflict between Val and his conscience begins he is experiencing the inner war of whether he should come clean and sacrifice his carter and risk jails time or continue to lie and live with knowing what he did and that it was wrong. 6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Split Second.
The most theatrical moment of the play is when Val shoots Willis. Another theatrical moment is the conversation between Rusty and Val in which they share their true feelings. 7. Provide at least three examples of images in Split Second. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
The cuffs- The cuffs took away Willis's power and makes him virtually defenseless against Val
The gun- The gun is simply an instrument by which Val killed him; however, Val has to struggles because he's truly the one who killed Willis in cold blood.
The day- I see the setting as an ironic factor that it is set on a day associated with liberty and freedom but, Val took that away from Willis and his actions condemned him to be forever trapped by the truth. 8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Split Second.
One of the themes of the play is justice and trying to define it. Val became Willis' judge and executioner which is not what American society defines as justice; however, Val has to justify what he did and lying about it. Also the play focuses on the them of family, his wife and father are the people Val truly leans on in his time of struggle. 9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Split Second?
Val's wife and father are truly influential on his thoughts during this time because they coach him to do two different options; however, they help Val to shape both sides of the argument and possibly shaped his decision the most.
The stasis of the play beings in New York City , one of the most diverse cities in the world, on July 4th, a date associated with liberty and freedom. These factors will play into the struggles of our main character, Val an African American police officer. The play is set in the present and despite the play's original premier date in 1984, the minimal prop list does not tie the play to the time period. The dramatic action that starts the play is when Val stops Willis a white man he believes to be trying to steal a car. Willis antagonizes Val with racial slurs and stereotypes causing Val to lose control and shoot Willis in the chest.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? Be careful when citing the intrustion, it may not be where you initially think it is.
Although nit can be confused that the intrusion is the shooting, the intrusion is actually Val's conversation with his father, Rusty an ex-police officer. Val had originally decided to lie on his initial conversation with his captain, failed to tel his best friend Charlie what actually happened and his wife had convinced him to continue to lie. However, Rusty encourages Val to tell the truth winch enhances Val's inner struggle to save himself or sacrifice everything by telling the truth.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
The unique factor is that Val has never shot and killed someone before and certainly not a white man. When Val is talking to Charlie he remarks that maybe if Willis had been black he wouldn't have shot him. The shooting sends Val into an inner conflict between right and wrong as well as black and white.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatic question is whether or not Val is going to tell the truth and is that really the best choice.
5. Use Val to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what Val wants (NOTE: In Split Second the wants of Val are in flux and he is being swayed by his father, his wife, his friend, and his colleague at work. His wants seem to change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that the character encounters.
In the opening of the play, it is Val against Willis because Val is simply trying to do his job as a police officer but Willis is verbally attacking him and provoking him making it it difficult for Val to do his job lawfully. Once Val shoots Willis, the conflict between Val and his conscience begins he is experiencing the inner war of whether he should come clean and sacrifice his carter and risk jails time or continue to lie and live with knowing what he did and that it was wrong.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Split Second.
The most theatrical moment of the play is when Val shoots Willis. Another theatrical moment is the conversation between Rusty and Val in which they share their true feelings.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Split Second. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
The cuffs- The cuffs took away Willis's power and makes him virtually defenseless against Val
The gun- The gun is simply an instrument by which Val killed him; however, Val has to struggles because he's truly the one who killed Willis in cold blood.
The day- I see the setting as an ironic factor that it is set on a day associated with liberty and freedom but, Val took that away from Willis and his actions condemned him to be forever trapped by the truth.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Split Second.
One of the themes of the play is justice and trying to define it. Val became Willis' judge and executioner which is not what American society defines as justice; however, Val has to justify what he did and lying about it. Also the play focuses on the them of family, his wife and father are the people Val truly leans on in his time of struggle.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Split Second?
Val's wife and father are truly influential on his thoughts during this time because they coach him to do two different options; however, they help Val to shape both sides of the argument and possibly shaped his decision the most.